Private Equity Firms Line up for Merck KGaA’s Generics

10:32 AM MDT | July 25, 2007 | Chemical Week Editorial Staff

Private equity capital companies Cinven, Texas Pacific Group, and Permira are among companies that have expressed an interest in acquiring Merck KGaA’s generic drugs business, which is up for sale, according to German press reports last week (CW, Jan. 17, p. 23). Meanwhile, Ranbaxy (Gurgaon, India), India’s biggest manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, says it is considering teaming up with a private equity firm to bid for Merck KGaA’s generics. Pharma manufacturers Actavis (Hafnarfjordur, Iceland) and Sanofi-Aventis may also be interested in buying...